Man shot large quantity of suspected cocaine seized

Police recovered a large quantity of suspected cocaine in a West Baltimore rowhouse after a shootout yesterday left one man wounded.

Michael Bryant, 19, of the 700 block of N. Carey St., suffered a gunshot wound to the upper right chest, police said.

He was in fair but stable condition last night at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Police said they did not know what led to the drug-related shootout.

"He has refused to talk to anyone," Lt. Odis L. Sistrunk, of the Western District, said of Mr. Bryant.

The victim's 13-year-old brother told police that about 8:20 a.m., the two of them were standing on the front steps of his brother's girlfriend's house, also in the 700 block of N. Carey St., when a man approached.

The youngster told police that his brother shouted, "Get in the house. Get in the house."

He told police he ran inside, heard gunshots, looked out the door and saw his wounded brother leaning against the house, exchanging gunfire with the assailant.

Mr. Bryant stumbled into the living room and collapsed, police said.

Police who responded to the shooting found narcotics paraphernalia and a large quantity of suspected cocaine in the living room.

Maysell Simms, 33, of the 1100 block of Cherry Hill Road, was taken to the Western District lockup.

Mr. Simms, who was in the house when the police arrived, was charged with possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of cocaine and possession of narcotics paraphernalia, police said.

Police said they were unable to obtain a description of the assailant.